AN ANALYSIS OF THE CONSUMER SATISFACTION WITH THE PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM IN KOTTAYAM DISTRICT

In the contemporary competitive era, it has become a challenge for the dealer and the producer to satisfy the customers by providing them with the expected product or services. PDS also is not an exception in this case. It is considered as the main instrument in the hands of State Governments for ensuring the safety net to the poor against the soaring prices of essential commodities. In this regard, the State of Kerala sets itself frame a model for implementing the PDS as a universal system. The purpose of setting-up Public Distribution System will be invalidated if real recipients have not used the products offered at Fair Price Shops optimally. The study focuses on the satisfaction of customers towards PDS at various levels and a primary research was done on 485 respondents from three panchayats of Kottayam District. The study observed that the utilization of services given by the PDS scheme depends largely on the satisfaction which they draw from ration shops.